


Looking for a Sign: Part 2

by Pmzilla



Series: Looking Beyond the Horizon [3]
Category: Looking (TV)
Genre: Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 08:17:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7750240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pmzilla/pseuds/Pmzilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richie goes to visit his Senora after leaving MDG.  Afterwards - he meets up with his cousin, Ceci.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Looking for a Sign: Part 2

Richie left Patrick's office, blinded by tears that he wouldn't let Patrick see. He walks for several blocks before realizing that he doesn't know where he's going. Looking around, he realizes that he is close to his Señora's place. He stops in a bodega, and after he emerges, he pauses on a MUNI bench to make a call.  
"Oye, prima. Yeah, it's me. I gotta ask a favor - I'm in the Mission."  
"...."  
"Yes, in town. But I need a place to stay tonight....um, and a ride."  
"Ok, you planning to surprise the video game gringo?", Ceci really has come around on Patrick, but she can't resist teasing her cousin just a little.  
"Oh - I surprised him..... Listen, prima - I'll tell you about it when I see you. Can you pick me up by Dolores Park, south side in like...an hour or so?"  
"Sure. You have an appointment?"  
Richie looks down at the eggs in his hand... "Something like that".

**Scene: at Señora's for a reading.**

Richie greets his Señora, who recognizes him and gives him a big hug. In Spanish, she says, "Almost two years!"  
She searches his face and registers how conflicted he seems. Señora gestures for him to follow her into her sanctum.  


She prays and lights candles. Richie lays, shirtless, as Señora washes the eggs and rubs them in the sacred pattern across Richie's body. In the familiar place, with the words of the ritual, Richie feels something break within him. He doesn't realize he is crying until Señora's wrinkled hand wipes a tear from his eye. "Mi hijo, que tu alma está en tal dolor. El amor es difícil, y por qué no? Todo lo que vale la pena, cualquier cosa es difícil."  


"Señora..."  
"Shhh"  
Señora breaks the eggs into her scrying bowl and clicks her tongue against her teeth.  
(In Spanish)  
"Ricardo, your energy is so mixed up, I'm surprised the eggs aren't scrambled. What are you doing?  
I see...you push away love with both hands, in one - you hold the past up like a shield: distrust, jealousy... You protect yourself from his love.  
In the other hand, you wield distance and time like a dual headed sword, and every day, the cuts are a new test of his love and patience.  
Ricardo - Fate can only help us for so long. If we do not embrace our destiny, it doesn't wait. And you will lose what you do not embrace, my son....now, you may ask your questions."  
Richie sighs, his questions: is Patrick faithful?, should they be together?, should he move back to SF?....they all die on his lips.  
"Does he really love me?"  
"Yes, Ricardo, he has deep love for you and so much more, besides. You do not need me to tell you this, I think. But I also see love holding him here…. What your señora cannot see is what holds you away, except your pride?"  
“Pride, sí. ……..Gracias, Señora."  
"Mi hijo, remember what I said about Fate." Señora makes the sign of the cross on Richie's brow and pats his hands. 

Richie pulls himself together to see Ceci. His cousin won't stop until she knows the full story, but Richie can barely tell what the story is himself.  
Ceci hugs her primo, let's him get into the car, and shows him the huge flask of tequila in the glove box before the interrogation begins. Richie starts to shake his head no, then reconsiders and drinks deeply.

“So did he cheat on you?”  
“No, Prima - nothing like that.”  
“Well then what happened? Because you look like your dog just died”  
“It's just the distance thing…,”  
“Oye, Cabroń. That is easy to solve. Come home.”  
“Texas IS home”  
Ceci makes a disgusted noise, “What, you gonna miss Tio Javier so much - with his bible thumping wife and their huge passel of children who act like wild animals? And all of them there are like that.”  
“It isn't only family, prima - I've got to work”  
“No no no no, excuse me, everybody’s got hair. And I bet you could make a lot more pulling up at a Google bus stop than you could in a week in Texas”  
“It costs so much more to live here”  
“...and you have Patrick, who apparently is making enough to live here and constantly fly off to Texas to be with you, too.”  
“I'm not a charity case….” Richie almost barks at Ceci.  
“Nobody said you were, I don't call it charity to take care of your family.”  
“Prima, be real - how can I take care of….”  
“Oye! Pendejo, if you can't see that Patrick is your family and wants to take care of you, then Texas ruined your eyes.”  
“What the fuck, Ceci!?”  
“...and you know what else, cabroń? You wouldn't think twice about it if it were me, or tu hermanita - but for you, it some dumbass macho thing. You can’t even tell me different, so don’t try.”  
Richie scoffs at Ceci - there is no arguing with her when she gets like this, he thinks...and a quiet, nagging voice in the back of his mind says, “...especially when she’s right.”


End file.
